Display-sign



No. 750,137. PATENTED JAN. 19, 1904.

I J. WARD.

' DISPLAY SIGN. 4 APPLICATION FILED we. 20, 1903.

N0 MODEL. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 45 34 v d Igjagfar y P 1 J. WARD.-

PATENTED JAN. 19, 1904.

DISPLAY Sm.

APPLIOYATION FILED we. 20, 1903. -30 MODEL. z-snnms mnnw 2.

\l x 59 K 37 /5?= 2 6 7 UNITED I STATES JOSEPH Patented January 19, 1904.

PATENT OFFIC WARD, or WELLSTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR or ONE-HALF To ARTHUR E. .WOODROW,

or WELLSTON, OHIO.

DISPLAY-SIGN.

SPEGIFIOATIONforming part of Letters Patent No. 750,137, dated January 19, 1904.

, Application filed August 20, 1903.

To all whom it may concern/.- a Beit'known that I, J osEPH WARD, a citizen of the United States, residing at-Wellston, in the county of Jackson and State of Ohio, have invented a new and useful Display-Sign, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates generally to displaysigns, and more particularly to that type of display-signs in which a windmill forms an element ofthe structure and constitutes the means for operating movable members of the device in order to call attention thereto.'

The principal object of the invention is to provide in a "signof the type specified a novel mechanism especially adapted to attract notice and comprising means for sounding a plurality of bells and means for producing novel changing light effects to attract'attention to the sign at night.

A further object of the invention is to provide ina sign of the type specified improved means for imparting movement from the windmill to the other movable parts of the structure and to provide means for control-' ling the speed of the windmall, so that the device may be adapted for operation by winds of variable strength.

In describing the invention reference will be had .to the accompanying drawings, in whichthere is illustrated one form of embodiment of the invention capable of carrying the same into practical operation, it being understood that various changes in the form, proportions, and exactmode of assemblage of the elements exhibited may be resorted to without departing from the spiritof the invention or sacrificing the advantages thereof.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a View in front elevation of the preferred form of embodiment of the invention. Fig. 2 is aview from theleft of the device as seen in Fig. 1, parts of the wind-wheel being broken away to show the belt-tightener and the bell-ringing mechanlsm; Fig. 3 is a detail view in perspective,

tail view in elevation of a portion of a modi-- Serial lie-170,202. (No model.)

fied form of the invention, showing a motor for imparting movement to the various movable parts of the mechanism when wind is not available to drive the wind-wheel.

Referring to the drawings, in which corresponding parts are designated by the same characters of reference throughout theseveral views, B designates the base, consisting in this instance of a post, upon which the entire sign structure is supported. Rigidly associated with theupper end-of the post by being inserted into a socket. formed therein is the supporting standard or shaft, upon rounding the standard 1. f The frame 3 comprises a block 5at the bottom thereof, an

[outer vertical side member 6, and an inner vertical side member 7, from Which project the eyes 4. The outer vertical side member 6 is preferably provided at the top with a cappiece of ornamental design, and, so far as possible throughout the entire sign structure,

due attention is paid to the production of or namental and striking color effects, as will be more fully pointed out hereinafter. Arranged horizontally between the side members 6 and 7 ofthe frame, near the upper endsthereof, is a shaft 9, upon which is rotatably mounted a wind-wheel comprising a hub 10, blades 11,

rigidly associated with the hub and set at an' angle to the axis thereof, andbraces of wire or'other suitable material arranged betweenv the blades 11 and designated 12. Thehub lO at the end adjacent to the side member 7. of

the frame is provided with a circumferential groove 13,; and at the same end of the-hubthere is provided a small cylindrical extension 14, having a circumferential groove 15. Traveling in the groove on the extension 14 of the hub of the wind-wheel is a belt 16, which also travels over the grooved periphery of a disk 17, arranged for rotation in a vertical plane upon a short shaft 18, supported between the side member 7 of the frame 3 and a short upright 19, which rises from the block 5 not far from the side 7. The disk 17 is provided with tappets 20 and 21, arranged thereon, as shown, and adapted for engagement with members associated with bells, presently to be described, in order to ring the bells at intervals.

The tappet 20 is provided to engage with the arm 22, rigidly associated with a bell 23, mounted to swing upon a bracket 24, projecting outward from the frame member 7 and the tappet 21 is provided to engage with one end of a pivoted arm 25, carrying at the other end a weight 26, which is raised when the tappet engages the other end of thearm 25 and descends when the tappet passes out of engagement with said arm. The weight 26 rests normally upon the upper end of the operatingrod 27 of a bell 28 of the type commonly known as call-bells, and when the weight is raised by engagement of the tappet and then allowed to descend when the tappet passes out of engagement with the arm carrying the weight the weight will at once descend upon the end of the rod 27 and sound the bell.

Mounted upon the upper end of the frame member 7 and extending in the direction opposite to that in which the block 5 projects is a horizontal supporting-arm 30, which has rising from the end thereof an upright 31, upon which is supported a small frame comprising the arm 32, the upright 33, and the arm 34. Between the arm 30 and the arm 32 there is arranged upon a vertically-disposed shaft 35 a disk 36, having a grooved periphcry, and upon the upper end of the shaft 35, which projects above the arm 32, is mounted a disk 37, provided with a plurality of openings 38 for the purpose presently to be explained. The disk 37 carries a lamp 39, having a globe 40, which is to be provided with a design of some sort adapted to advertise the business of the persons making use of the sign. In this instance the lamp-globe is provided with a series of colored stripes of the kind ordinarily found upon barbers poles, and consequently the lamp is adapted to disseminate light of different colors.

The globe 40 is securely held in place by means of a ring 41, having an arm 42, which extends through a slot in the upright 33 and is secured in position by means of a nut on the end thereof. The top of the globe 40 is covered by a cap 43, supported by the arm 34 at a slight distance above the globe to permit the free upward passage of the draft by which the flame of the lamp is fed.

Rotary motion is imparted to the disk 35 by a belt 44, which travels in the groove 13 on c the hub of the wind-wheel and in the groove on the periphery of the disk 35. The belt 44 is kept under suitable tension and kept in engagement with the groove on the disk 35 by means of a tightener comprising the L-shaped frame 45, pivoted to the side frame member 7 and having on the upper end of its free arm a bar 46, upon which are supported, with their axes inclined to each other at an obtuse angle, a pair of pulleys 47, over which the belt passes in going from the hub 9 of the wind-wheel to the disk 35, by which the lamp 39 is caused to rotate.

From the foregoing description it will be readily seen that when the wind-Wheel is driven by a breeze striking its inclined blades motion will be imparted by the belts l6 and 44 to the disk 17 by which the bells are sounded, and to the disk 35, from which power is supplied to the disk upon which the lamp 39 is mounted. Consequently during the entire time that the wind-wheel is in operation the bells will be sounded at intervals of greater or less length, according as the wind-wheel is driven at slow or rapid speed. At night attention will be attracted to, the device by means of the lamp rotatably mounted above the apparatus and driven by the, means. already explained. The beams of light passing directly outward through the globe of the lamp will cause continually-changing light effects wherever they fall, and by means of the openings 38 in the disk 37 the lightwhich passes downward therethrough will, produce ever-changing figures of light upon the surface of the ground or sidewalk beneath the apparatus.

When the device is used by barbers, for whom it is eminently adapted, the Various parts of therstructure already described, and particularly the blades of the wind-wheel, will be painted red, white, and blue with broad stripes in conformity to the usual. custom in painting barbers poles; but in addition to this means for advertising a barber-shopI provide aswinging sign-board 50,which is hinged at 51 and 52 to thevertical frame member 7 and bears upon its display-surfaces any suitable legends.

The sign-board 50 is arranged upon the side of the shaft 1 opposite the frame 3, and in order that the sign. may serve asa vane to keep the wind-wheel in proper position to be operated by the wind as well as to serve as a governor for the windmill. the sign is arranged on the side of the shaft opposite the frame in which the wind-wheel is carried and is so hinged that the sign would be normally held in a plane at right angles to thatiin which the wind-wheel operates; but in order to effect the proper governing of the speedof the windwheel there isprovided on the frame 3, near the bottom thereof, a rigidly-attached arm 54, having notches 55 for the reception of a notched fastener-bar 56, which is pivotally mounted upon the sign50 and serves to hold the sign at any desired angle to the frame in which the wind-wheel is mounted. By providing means to hold the sign at an angle means for producing the necessary sound to attract attention to the sign. I do not, however, wish to be specifically limited to two bells only, as it is obvious that by increasing the number of tappets on the disk 17 it would be possible to operate a very considerable number of bells and by suitably arranging them both as to interval between strokes and in pitch the device could be caused to ring chimes.

It will be readily observed from the foregoing account and from an inspection of the drawings that the device has a comparatively small number of parts ofsimple design and that when the parts thereof are colored to typify the tonsorial art it will form a very effective form of advertisement therefor.

In Fig, 5 there is shown a modified form of the invention, in which an extension 60 is provided on the block 5 at the bottom of the supporting-frame and a small motor 61, driven in any suitable manner, is mounted on the ex tension and provided with a pulley 62 upon the motor-shaft 63 to impart movement to a belt 64, which will run over the hub of the wind-wheel and impart movement thereto.

The wind-wheel will drive the other movable parts of the mechanism in the usual manner.

' The modified form of the invention is especially adapted for use when the sign is constructed on a small scale and is intended to be displayed in a show-window in order to attract the attention of passers -by. When so displayed, the sign will not be subject to the influence of the winds, and consequently some 'form of motor other than the natural air-currents must be depended upon, and the arrangement shown in Fig. 5 is that which is found most suitable.

Having thus described the construction and operation of my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

1. The combination in a display-sign, of a standard, a frame pivotally mounted on the standardand projecting therefrom on one side, a sign-board mounted on said frame and projecting therefrom on the opposite side of the standard, a wind-wheel j ournaled in said'frame, a rotary disk mounted in said frame driven by said wind-Wheel, a tappet mounted on said disk, a bell supported by said frame, and means operated by said tappet for sounding said bell.

2. The combination in a display-sign, of a rotatable frame, a sign-board mounted on the frame, awind-wheel mounted in the frame, a bell carried by said frame and having a reciprocable operating-rod, a pivoted arm having a weight normally resting upon said rod, a rotary disk driven by said wind-wheel also mounted in the frame, and a tappet provided on said disk and adapted for engagement with said weight-carrying lever to raise the weight and allow it to descend when the tappet passes out of engagement with the lever.

3. The combination in a display-sign of a frame, a sign-board mounted on the frame, a wind-wheel carried by the frame, a globe bearing an appropriate design rotatably mounted upon said frame, a lamp supported within said 80 globe, and driving connections between said wind-wheel and said globe.

' 4:. The combination in a display-sign of a frame, a sign-board mounted on the frame," a wind-wheel carried by the frame, a rotary globe-support mounted at the top of said frame, a globe bearing an appropriate design mounted on said" support, a lamp supported within said globe, and drivingconnections between said wind-wheel and said support.

5. The combination in a display-sign, of a frame, a sign-board mounted on the frame, a

wind-wheel carried by the frame, a disk mounted on top of the frame for rotation in a horizontal plane, a lamp mounted on said disk and having a globe bearing an appropriate design, and driving connections between said wind-wheel and said disk.

6. The combination in a display-sign, of a frame, a sign-board carried by said frame, a 1 wind-wheel mounted in said frame, a disk provided with a plurality of openings therein mounted on top of said frame for rotation in a horizontal plane, driving connections between said disk and said wind-wheel, and a 5 lamp having a globe bearing an appropriate design supported upon said disk.

7 The combination in adisplay-sign, of a frame, a sign-board carried by said frame, a wind-wheel mounted in said frame, a disk IIO mounted for rotation in a. horizontal plane above said frame and provided with a circum: ferential groove on its periphery, a lamp supported above said disk for rotation therewith, a belt engaging the hub of said wind- 5 wheel and the groove on said disk, and a belttightener comprising an L-shaped arm pivoted at one end, and a pair of guide-pulleys supported on said arm for contact with said belt.

8. The combination in a display-sign, of a I20 frame, a sign-board carried by said frame, a wind-wheel mounted in said frame and having an elongated hub provided with a cylindrical extension having a circumferential groove, a disk mounted above said frame for rotation 5 in a horizontal plane and having a circumfer-' ential groove on its periphery, a lamp supported above said disk for rotation therewith,

a belt engaging the groove in said disk and the groove on the extension of the hub of the 3 a notch, and a notched bar pivoted to said sign-board and adapted to engage with said arm to hold the sign-board at any desired inclination to the plane of rotation of the wind- Wheel.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto aflixed my signature in 20 the presence of two Witnesses.

JOSEPH WARD.

Witnesses:

FRANK BURNS, WM. A. NOBLE. 

